In a Bind(Plaything #3)(13)

Carter was out in front of the house saying his good-byes. I needed to do the same.

He saw me walk out of the house with my bag. "Zane, did you have a good time?"

"I did. It was quite the celebration. Thank you for inviting me."

"Thank you for coming." He shook my hand. "Did you get a chance to say good-bye to Mindy? I think she's still inside."

"Yes, I saw her on my way through the house." I looked around the front yard that was busy with people packing cars. "Uh, I would like to say good-bye to Raini too. Do you happen to know where she is?"

"Rainsford? She took off right after brunch. I had to lend her a car. I only hope she brings it back in one piece," he said with a laugh.

I forced a smile, not wanting to let on that his news had just felt like a fist in my gut.

"But when I talk to her, I'll let her know you wanted to say good-bye."

I nodded. "Great. Yeah, that would be great. Well, I think Aidan is in the car already so I'll be on my way. Thank you again for having me."

I tromped down the driveway to the car. Aidan was leaning against it with his arms crossed, looking ready to leave.

"I was wondering when you were going to get here," he said as we climbed inside. "Awesome weekend. I think I'll buy myself a ranch like this someday."

"Yeah, it's a cool place." I started the car. The food I'd gobbled at brunch felt like a big ball of clay in my stomach. She’d left without so much as a wave. It seemed she couldn't get away from me fast enough. She really had played me, only the stakes in the game were much higher than I'd expected.

Aidan lowered the seat back to start his nap and snore-fest for the ride home.

"Are you going to see Carolyn again?"

"Nah, she lives in New York, and I think she's engaged or something. We didn't get into too much detail about each other's lives because we knew it was just a weekend romp." He crossed his big arms over himself and closed his eyes. "What about you? I didn't see you much at all. What were you up to?"

I turned the car down the long driveway. "Nothing much. Just another weekend."





Chapter Nineteen





Raini





Anthony handed me another cocktail. "Here. Looks like you need this."

I raised it in a silent thanks and took a sip. I glanced around at the people, dressed in designer clothes and all trying to out snooty snoot each other as they browsed the art. Anthony, my art professor, had talked me into displaying a few of my pieces, landscapes that had been part of a required project for my graduate class. I found them boring, but Anthony insisted they were just the thing that people were looking for. Plus, he'd somehow come to the conclusion that I'd someday soon be one of the up and coming talents in the art world. He'd sold me as such to the people putting on the art show. I wasn't nearly as convinced about my talent, and since we'd had an on again off again romance, I wasn't sure that Anthony was seeing my art through unbiased eyes.

Anthony's hand rested proprietarily on my lower back and I discreetly moved forward, away from his touch. Lately he seemed to be inclined to start up our relationship again, but I had no desire for it at all. After the last off switch had been flipped, I wanted it to stay off.

"I love this bright blue dress, by the way. Especially how it hugs every curve," Anthony said in a low voice. He had been going overboard all night with flirtatious overtures, and I had deflected each one with zero response.

His mention of the dress brought to mind the last time I’d worn it, a month ago at the birthday party. A warm blush covered my skin unexpectedly as I thought about Zane pushing the dress up above my panties while he held my hands above my head. Suddenly, the room felt stifling hot.

"I'm going to step outside for some fresh air." I hurried through the gallery to the patio area and hadn't realized Anthony had followed until his hand, once again, touched my back.

"Did I stir up some heat in there with my comment about the dress?" he asked.

"Yes, but not in the way you think." It wasn't the first time something had taken me back to those hours with Zane, and something told me it wouldn't be the last. And poor Anthony thought he had been the one to make me blush. "Look, Anthony," I started, but he pressed his finger over my mouth.

"No, before you say anything, I wanted to give you some news that I think you'll be happy to hear."

I stared in annoyance down at the finger on my mouth. He dropped his hand.

"What is it?"

"I've been invited to study in Paris for a few months, and I get to bring my most promising student with me. Of course that's you."

"Is it my artwork or the thought of us having sex that makes me the most promising?"

"Raini, you know I think highly of your talent." He smiled. "On the canvas and on the bed sheets." His hand slid to my bottom. This time I wasn't discreet when I stepped away from his touch.

His expression soured. "What is it about you and commitment, Raini? What the heck are you so afraid of?"

I stared up at him. "The only thing that scares me about commitment, Anthony, is committing to the wrong person. I respect you as my teacher, but whatever else we had, that's in the past."

His dark brows knitted together. "Is there someone else?" A dry laugh followed. "Look who I'm asking that question to? Did you meet someone? Is there actually a man out there who has snared the most elusive catch of all, the heart of Rainsford Bonneville?"

"No. Yes. Maybe. Probably not."

An annoying smug laugh followed. "Well, that answers that. I need to get back inside. You think about my offer. Paris, baby. Paris." He walked back inside. I leaned against the stone retaining wall dividing the patio area from the parking lot. I finished my cocktail as I stared down at my bright blue dress.

I wondered if he ever gave me a second thought after that weekend.





Chapter Twenty





Zane





Trey and I walked back in from the warehouse. Aidan had been showing us his plans for adding some new conveyor belts in shipping. Trey was heading back in to crunch some numbers.

Suzy, one of the box designers, met us on our way up to the offices. "Zane, I put the new box for In a Bind on your desk an hour ago. See what you think for the marketing campaign." She grinned. "Although, I think it kind of sells itself. We've put some fun stuff in there."

"Thanks, Suzy, I'm heading back to the office right now. Looking forward to seeing it."

Trey and I turned down the corridor toward the offices. "You never did say what your inspiration was for that theme," Trey noted.

"Didn't I?"

"No, and I think I was promised some details."

"No, you asked for details. I never actually promised to tell them." We stopped outside my office door.

"It's not like you to keep stuff like that to yourself. I figure one night when we've had enough beer, you'll spill."

"Don't count on it."

Trey looked at me as if he was trying to read the details in my face. "She must have been something else," he quipped as he continued on down the hallway.

I walked inside my office and stopped short. Someone had been at my desk. The items from the box were strewn across the paperwork I had piled there. It would have been unusual for Suzy to spread the stuff out. It would have been even weirder for her to sit in my chair, which I knew someone had done because it was turned around to face the window.

I slapped the door shut behind me and took a step back when the chair spun around. It had been a month, but I hadn't forgotten one thing about her, the pearly blue eyes, the way her nose turned up just a smidgen and her smile. That smile had been stuck in my head like a damn picture.

She held up a pair of leather handcuffs and a whip made from long strands of satin. "These look fun." She sat forward and perused the items on the desk. "The whole box looks fun. When should we try it out?"

I walked toward the desk and stood over it, staring down at her, trying to decide if she was real or if I had just dreamt her up. It wouldn't have been the first time. But as the scent of her perfume drifted toward me, I knew she was real, sitting in my chair and staring up at me with expressive blue eyes and a pair of bondage restraints in her hand.

"How'd you get in here?" I asked for lack of a better question.

"A tall guy let me in. A partner, I think and a piece of eye candy on steroids I might add."

I nodded. "Chase."

"Yes, that's the name. To his credit, he did refuse to let me in at first. Then I told him my name was Rainsford Bonneville, and he waved me in with a gentlemanly bow. I hope you're not mad."

I shook my head. "How have you been?"

"I've been good." She dropped the cuffs and the whip and leaned back in my chair. "This is nice, by the way." She smoothed her hand over the fabric on the chair. "The whole place is cool. Very impressive." She stood up and walked to the window. "The view is amazing." She turned around. She was wearing a short green dress that tied behind the neck like a halter. All I could think about was yanking the knot out of it.

My feet moved forward but then I stopped.

She looked disappointed. "I hoped you'd be happy to see me, but maybe I overestimated my lure and charm."

"You didn't. Guess I'm still stinging. Why did you leave the ranch without saying good-bye?"